Dropbox and Google Drive Feature/Functionality Comparison

The following chart provides you with a comparison of frequently used features and functionalities in U-M Dropbox with those of U-M Google Drive.

Tool Comparison Chart

  Dropbox Google Drive
Account creation You must opt-in to create an account via dropbox.umich.edu when you join the University of Michigan. For steps on how to create your account, refer to the U-M Dropbox Getting Started page. You are automatically provisioned a U-M Google account when you join the University of Michigan. Learn more about logging in to your U-M Google account.
Protected Health Information (PHI/HIPAA)

Green checkmark

Dropbox at U-M may be used with some types of sensitive university data, including Protected Health Information (PHI), according to the U-M Sensitive Data Guide.

Red letter "X"

Google at U-M is not approved for use with Protected Health Information (PHI). Refer to the U-M Sensitive Data Guide for additional information on the sensitive data types allowed in U-M Google.

Device/browser compatibility

The Dropbox web app supports Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, and Safari browsers. (Dropbox does not support Internet Explorer 11.)

The Dropbox desktop and mobile apps support macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android devices.

Visit the Dropbox Help Center for more information on system requirements.

Google Workspace for Education includes a wide range of services, products, and applications, each with their own set of device/browser compatibilities. Search the Google Help Center for the "system requirements" for a specific service/product offered. (For example, Google Drive has its own set of system requirements and browser compatibility.)

Shared document repository

Dropbox Team Folders.

For more information on Team Folders, refer to Team Folders in U-M Dropbox.

Google shared drives.

For more information on shared drives, refer to Shared Drives in U-M Google.

Storage limits

There is a 5TB storage limit for individual accounts.

There is no storage limit for Team Folders.

There are storage limits for accounts based on your primary university affiliation.

  • Faculty (regular, emeritus, and lecturers), staff (regular and temporary), students, and sponsored affiliates have a 250GB storage limit.
  • Alumni, retirees, shared drives, and Shared Accounts have a 15GB storage limit.

For more information, visit the Google Storage Project site.

Permission levels

Owner, Can edit (editor), and Can view (viewer).

Visit the Dropbox Help Center for more information on Dropbox sharing permissions. Also, refer to Dropbox: Folder Settings and Permissions for more information.

In Drive: Viewer, Commenter, Editor

In shared drives: Viewer, Commenter, Contributor, Content Manager, and Manager

Refer to Shared Drives in U-M Google for more information.

Real-time collaboration

Green checkmark

You can collaborate in real time with Dropbox Paper.

Green checkmark

All Google file types, such as Docs, Sheets, and Slides, can be collaborated on in real time.

MCommunity group sharing

Green checkmark

You can share files and folders in Dropbox with MCommunity groups.

Subgroups and external email addresses do not sync and must be added separately. For more information, refer to MCommunity Group Synchronization to U-M Google and Dropbox.

Note: MCommunity groups larger than 1,000 members will not sync to U-M Dropbox.

Green checkmark

You can share files and folders in Google Drive with MCommunity groups.

MCommunity groups sync at all levels, including subgroups. External email addresses do not sync and must be added separately. For more information, refer to MCommunity Group Synchronization to U-M Google and Dropbox.

External sharing

Green checkmark

You can share files and folders with collaborators outside the University of Michigan. External collaborators need to have a Dropbox account to access the content unless they are accessing it via a shared link that is open to anyone with the link.

Green checkmark

You can share files and folders with collaborators outside the University of Michigan. This includes collaborators who do not have a Google account.

Shared links

Green checkmark

You can create shared links to content stored in Dropbox to share with collaborators.

The shared link permissions default to “Only people invited,” but you can change it to "Team members," “Anyone with link,” or “People with password,” depending on the file type. Note that "team members" in this context refers to anyone at the University of Michigan with a U-M Dropbox account.

Green checkmark

You can create shareable links to content stored in Google Drive. These links are accessible and customizable under General access in the sharing dialog box. The shared link permissions default to "Restricted," so only people you’ve shared the file with can access the link with their assigned permission level, but you can change it to "University of Michigan" or "Anyone with the link." If you change the default setting, you can then customize whether the link is set to Viewer, Commenter, or Editor access.

Shared links: Disable downloads

Green checkmark

You can disable downloads for a shared link of a Dropbox file or folder. Disabling downloads for a shared link prevents collaborators from downloading the contents of a link through Dropbox.

Visit the Dropbox Help Center for more information on disabling downloads for shared links.

Green checkmark

You can disable downloads for a shared link of a Google Drive file if the shared link is set to Viewer or Commenter access. However, disabling the ability to download prevents collaborators who you have assigned the Viewer or Commenter role from downloading the file. It also prevents Viewers and Commenters from printing or making a copy of the file.

Note: You can't apply this setting to a folder, but you can apply it to individual files in the folder.

Visit the Google Workspace Learning Center for more information on disabling downloads for shared links and files.

Shared links: Expiration dates

You can add an expiration date for shared links on Dropbox files and folders. Collaborators will only be able to access the shared link until the expiration date. After its expiration date, the link will be turned off.

Visit the Dropbox Help Center for more information on setting expiration dates for shared links.

You can add an expiration date for shared links on Google Drive files and folders. Collaborators will only be able to access the shared link until the expiration date. After its expiration date, the link will be turned off, and their access will be removed.

Visit the Google Workspace Learning Center for more information on setting expiration dates for shared links, files, and folders.

Shared links: Add password protection

You can add a password to a shared link of a Dropbox file or folder. When a collaborator opens the link, they'll be prompted to enter the password to see its contents.

Note: Dropbox has two ways to add a password to a file, depending on the file type:

  • If the file is editable within Dropbox (i.e., Dropbox Paper or Microsoft 365 documents), you will see a link for editing. To enable a password on that link, toggle Require password on in the Link settings.
  • If the file is not editable and/or you only want collaborators to view the file within Dropbox, you will see a link for viewing. To enable a password on that link, select People with password from the drop-down menu beside “Who has access” in the Link settings.

Visit the Dropbox Help Center for more information on adding passwords to shared links. (Note that Dropbox only provides a brief overview.)

Red letter "X"

You cannot add a password to the shared link of a Google Drive file or folder.

File request links

Dropbox file requests let you request files from anyone and collect them in a folder in your Dropbox account.

Visit the Dropbox Help Center for more information on using a Dropbox file request link.

Red letter "X"

Google Drive does not have a file request feature.

Tip: However, if you want to request files from individuals and collect them in a folder, you can create a Google Form and include the option to upload files via the form. Google saves all files uploaded to a folder in your Drive. (Note that this does not work for Forms saved in shared drives, and only individuals with Google accounts can upload files via a form.)

Save hyperlinks as files

Hyperlink files in Dropbox are called Shortcuts.

Red letter "X"

You cannot save hyperlinks as files in Google Drive.

Email-to-folder file uploads

You can email attachments to a specific Dropbox folder using the Email to Dropbox feature.

You can save email attachments from Gmail directly to any folder in Google Drive by clicking the Drive icon while hovering over the attachment.

Version history

Version history exists for all types of files in Dropbox, except Dropbox Paper and other web-based files. Version history does not save for folders and does not use up your storage quota.

Version history exists for all types of files in Google Drive, including non-Google file types. Version history does not save for folders and does not use up your storage limit.

Metadata

 / Red letter "X"

You can add searchable tags to your files and folders in Dropbox. Otherwise, there is no way to set additional, custom metadata for your files and folders in Dropbox.

Red letter "X"

You cannot add any custom metadata for your files and folders in Google Drive.

Collaborator insights/statistics

If you would like to see who viewed a specific file or folder, you can enable Viewer info on each individually. This information will only be visible to people with Can edit permissions on the file or folder. If you would like to enable Viewer info on Team Folders, contact the ITS Service Center.

Note: Dropbox removed the Traffic & Insights feature in October 2021.

There are several ways to view the activity of collaborators on specific files and folders in Google Drive.

Tip: If you don’t want your view history to appear in the Activity dashboard of others' owned files, you can change your privacy settings.

Video previews

Common video types supported include .AVI, .MKV, .MOV, .MP4, and .WMV.

Visit the Dropbox Help Center for more file types Dropbox preview supports.

Common video types supported include .AVI, .MP4, .MOV, and .WMV.

Visit the Google Drive Help Center for more information on playing videos in Google Drive.

Offline access

With Smart Sync, you can mark files and folders for offline access via the Dropbox desktop app. (This does not include Dropbox Paper.)

With the “Make Available Offline” feature, you can mark files and folders for offline access via the Dropbox mobile app. (This includes Dropbox Paper. You can choose to install the Dropbox Paper mobile app to edit Papers offline, as well.)

You can create, view, and edit files in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides while offline.

Desktop app/access

You can access your Dropbox files and folders from your desktop with the Dropbox desktop app.

For more information on installing the Dropbox desktop app, refer to Installing Dropbox on Your Device. Visit the Dropbox Help Center for more information on how to use the Dropbox desktop app.

You can access your Google Drive files and folders from your desktop with the Google Drive for desktop app.

For more information on installing the Google Drive desktop app, refer to the Google Drive Help Center.

Note: If you are installing the app on a MiWorkspace-managed machine, you can install it via the Software Center (Windows) or Managed Software Center (Mac).

Integrations

Refer to Add-ons & Apps for Google at U-M for more information regarding integrations to Google Drive.

Device limits In a U-M Dropbox account, there is a limit of five connected computers (e.g., Mac, Windows, Linux, etc.) and five mobile devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, iOS, Android, etc.) per account. These limits cannot be exceeded.  There are no limits on how many devices you can connect to your Google account.
Notification customization

You can customize some Dropbox notifications for your individual account or specific files on the web, desktop app, and mobile apps (push notifications and comment notifications).

Google Drive offers a wide range of notifications you can customize. You can choose to be notified when someone shares a new file or folder with you, you’re mentioned in a comment or action item, or someone requests access to a file you own. You can also change settings to get notifications when others make changes to files in Google Docs and Sheets. Where you are notified can also be set, but some locations (such as mobile app push notifications) may not offer all notification types.

Last Updated: 
Monday, January 8, 2024